1879.] MR. G. A. SHAW ON THE HABITS OF LEMURS. 133 



A forest extends along the whole eastern side of this province, 

 fringing the tableland, and covering all the slopes down into the low- 

 land bordering the sea ; but nowhere in these forests have the Ring- 

 tailed Lemurs been found. Their habitat in the south and south-west 

 is among the rocks, over which they can easily travel, where it is 

 impossible for the people, although bare-footed, to follow. An 

 examination of their hands will show that they are preeminently 

 adapted for this kind of locomotion. The palms are long, smooth, 

 level, and leather-like ; and enable the animal to find a firm footing 

 on the slippery wet rocks, very much on the same principle as that 

 which assists the fly to walk up a pane of glass. The thumbs on 

 the hinder hands are very much smaller in proportion than in the 

 Lemurs inhabiting the forests, which depend upon their grasping- 

 power for their means of progression. These spring from tree to 

 tree, and rarely if ever touch the ground, except in search of water. 



Hence the Ring-tailed Lemurs are an exception to the general 

 habits of the Lemuridae, in that they are not arboreal. There are 

 very few trees near their district ; and those which do grow there are 

 very stunted and bushy. 



These Lemurs are provided with two long canine teeth or fangs in 

 the upper jaw, those of the male being considerably longer than those 

 of the female. These they use to take away the outer coating of 

 the fruit of the prickly pear, which is full of fine spines, and con- 

 stitutes their chief article of winter food, and which grows abundantly 

 in the crevices and around the foot of the rocks. Their summer 

 food consists of different kinds of wild figs and bananas. Their 

 fangs are doubtless used as weapons of self-defence, although when 

 fighting I have noticed that they depend a great deal upon their 

 hands, with which they scratch and strike. I have seen the male 

 put a dog larger than itself to the rout in this way. 



They are very easily tamed, and in captivity will eat almost any 

 kind of fruit, but do not like meat in any form. By a little care, 

 they can be induced to feed upon cooked rice, upon which they 

 thrive. In their natural state, they do not drink, as is proved not 

 only from the native accounts, but also by the fact that for the 

 first month or two after being caught, and while living on bananas, 

 they do not drink. It is curious that all the species of Lemurs 

 living on the west, including the two kinds of white Lemurs, appear 

 to subsist without water ; whilst all those on the east invariably 

 drink at their meals. 



2. The Broad-nosed Lemur'. 



This one was caught and chained up last January. It came from 

 the higher-level forests on the eastern side of the Betsileo, among 

 the bamboos, on which it appears in a great measure to subsist. Its 

 teeth are different from those of any other kind of Lemur with which I 

 am acquainted. It has the few sharp outwardly inclined teeth in the 

 lower jaw in the front common to all Lemurs, and which they use 



» [Hapaknwr simiis, Gi-av, P. Z. S. 1870. p. 828. pi. lii.— P. L. S.] 



